Germany’s Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder has warned that a planned reduction in the country’s air travel ticket taxwill not automatically translate into cheaper airline tickets.
The tax cut, approved to take effect on July 1, 2026, is primarily intended to improve Germany’s competitiveness as an aviation hub, Schnieder told newspapers of the Funke Media Group in comments published on Friday.
“The reduction in the air traffic tax serves to make [Germany] more competitive in order to become a serious player again. That is the main objective,” he said.
Germany continues to lag behind other countries in its recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, he noted.
Passenger traffic from German airports lagging
Passenger volumes at German airports remain just under 90% of pre-pandemic levels, while other countries have surpassed those figures and are operating at around 110%, Schnieder said.
“This means that flights are not being cancelled – they are simply taking place elsewhere,” he said.
The minister stressed that airlines ultimately decide which routes and services they offer.
For the government, however, Schnieder added that it is crucial that carriers continue to operate from Germany, base aircraft there and maintain a reliable network of connections to and from German airports “in the interests of Germany as a business location and for passengers.”
Outlook for winter 2026 not good
In October, the Federal Association of the German Air Transport Industry (BDL) reported that air travel in Germany is growing more slowly in the 2025/2026 winter flight schedule than in other European countries.
Airlines are increasingly avoiding Germany due to ever-rising taxes and fees, said BDL Chief Executive Joachim Lang.
Costs in Germany from fees for air traffic control and aviation security, as well as from the air travel tax, have more than doubled since 2019 and are, according to the BDL, the highest in Europe.
International airlines are increasingly stationing their aircraft at locations with lower entry costs. Domestic flights and direct connections from smaller and medium-sized airports to European destinations have been particularly cut back in Germany.
In October, low-cost Irish airline Ryanair said it will cut 800,000 seats and 24 routes from its winter schedule in Germany and blamed the German government for its failure to reduce aviation taxes.
The cuts affect major airports in the cities of Berlin and Hamburg.
The decision to fly less in Germany is a “direct consequence of the German government’s continued inability to reduce the high access costs in Germany,” the airline said.